Disappearing Act
by Dracoisalooker76
Summary: Troy disappears and goes missing. Assuming the worst the gang grieves their lost friend. But when he comes back to Albuquerque with a new name, a new personality and a new life, will they be able to remind him of the old Troy Bolton.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!**

**Prologue**

Chad Danforth walked down the hallway of East High trying to avoid the constant glares he was receiving. He groaned and sat against the wall next to a set of lockers. The students were looking at him as if he had something to do with Troy being missing. It wasn't his fault, he was in more pain than all of them combined.

That was partly because he and Troy had gotten in a huge fight before he disappeared suddenly two days ago. It was about something stupid and Chad couldn't even remember it, but it hurt to know he might never get the chance to tell his best friend he was sorry.

Ryan walked down the hall and smiled at Chad sympathetically before continuing his way to his locker. Chad hated the feeling of being hated and now understood what it felt like for Ryan and Sharpay when people called them the Ice Queen and King.

Chad slammed his head into the red locker beside him. He knew it was Troy's. Who would want to take Troy out of Albuquerque? Who could, he was watched like a hawk by everyone because he was so popular. Maybe Troy ran away, but why would he do that?

* * *

Kathleen Bolton hit the snooze button on her alarm clock for the fourth time that morning. She didn't have the strength to get up. Troy had been missing for ten days and there was little hope for his safe return. She half hoped they wouldn't learn any news about him because she didn't want to find his dead body mangled in some lake.

She'd rather be able to think Troy was safe than know he was dead.

She slid out of the bed and put on her clothes for work before looking at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy from another night of crying. She hadn't smiled since word got out that Troy was missing. No matter how bad she looked, she knew she had to go to work and trudge through the day because Troy wouldn't have wanted her to stay on the couch and sulk.

* * *

Gabriella Montez sat on the bench at Troy's secret spot, tears slowly rolling down her face. She hadn't cried for Troy until now, three weeks after his disappearance. The bell rang but Gabriella didn't move. She hated the looks that she got from the students. They held pity and sadness.

But Gabriella was filled with regret.

Regret that she never told Troy any of the words she longed to tell him. Tell him that she liked him as more than a friend, that he was drop dead gorgeous, that he was the sweetest guy she ever met.

But most of all that she couldn't live without him.

* * *

Jack Bolton sat in the top row of the bleachers looking down at the court below. Every time he looked all he saw was Troy. Troy at eight making a lay-up, Troy at ten shooting a foul shot, a thirteen year old Troy showing off for a girl who was watching him, just Troy sitting there as if he was competing in a staring contest.

There was nothing Jack hated more than seeing the court with illusions of Troy running around. His son was dead, he just knew it. There was a feeling of void in his heart and a pang of guilt when Troy's name was spoken. Had he paid more attention to what Troy wanted instead of his own selfish needs, maybe he wouldn't have lost his son.

**Tell me what you think!  
**

**Review!**


	2. The New Kid

**Thanks for reading.**

**Chapter 1 - The New Kid**

"Oh, hun, you'll do fine," Liz Harrington told her son as Principal Matsui showed them around East High.

"I've looked over your transcripts and I must say you should fit in quite nicely," Mr. Matsui told the boy. He had longish brown hair with blond streaks and tan Californian skin. But his best feature was his eyes, a beautiful green color – too bad they weren't natural, but no one had to know that. He hated his normal eyes, bright blue that made him stand out in a crowd.

"Mom, I don't feel too good," he said, not wanting to meet new people. He had a bunch of friends in California...and Arizona before that...and Colorado before Arizona. His mother never seemed to keep in one state for too long and his father's dream was to live in every state at least once.

"Oh, for heavens sake, just go in and meet some new friends." The bell rang and Liz pushed her son towards the stairs. "I know you hate moving sweets, but this is a nice city. Now go."

He rolled his eyes and looked at his schedule. Ms. Darbus – homeroom. How was he supposed to figure out where that was, the principal hadn't given him a map!

"Hi," said a sweet sounding voice. He turned to see a girl with blond hair and a flirtatious smile. "Are you new?"

"Yeah," he said nervously.

"What homeroom?"

"Darbus, I think."

The girl smiled. "That's mine, follow me!" She giggled slightly before bouncing toward a door at the end of the hall. She was wearing a pink skirt with matching top and lots of make-up. He didn't think she looked bad, she was actually kind of cute.

She walked though a door so he followed. There was already kids in their seats and a larger lady sitting at the front.

"Looks like the mountain lion's got some prey," yelled an African American boy in the second row with an afro.

"Oh, shut it Chad," the girl snapped before turning to the large lady. "Ms. Darbus, this is a new student I found in the hallway."

"Well," Ms. Darbus said looking at the boy. He handed her the papers. "Class I'd like you to meet Christopher Harrington. Now, you can sit in the seat in front of Chad, and boys," she directed to Chad and two other boys, "behave."

"Yes Ms. Darbus," the three said in unison.

"Hey," Chad said to the new kid. He seemed really tense and scared for some reason. "Where you from?"

"California," he answered quickly.

"Nice," Chad said. "Anyway, these are my friends, Jason and Zeke." He pointed to the other two boys Ms. Darbus had told to behave. "Do you go by a nick name or something?"

"Topher," he said, but his eyes weren't on Chad. They were on a girl in the back of the room next to Jason reading a book. She had wavy black hair and he couldn't keep his eyes off her.

"Topher," Chad said. "Hello? You in there?"

"Huh," he said looking around.

"Whatever dude," Chad said shaking his head. "Me and the guys are going to get ice cream after school if you want to come."

Topher nodded and kept his eyes on the girl. There was something about her, something familiar, but he had never met a girl who liked to read so much that she'd read in homeroom unless she had to. She lowered the book right as the bell rang and she rushed out of the room to her next class. Topher stood and watched her as he walked out, unaware that he was being watched carefully by a blond in a pink hat and matching clothes.

Ryan's eyes squinted across the room, he too was feeling a familiar vibe, but his was too the new kid. Topher, he was sure he'd never met someone with that name before, but he looked familiar and his voice sounded familiar. He stood and walked to his next class which he noticed Topher was in. He sat next to the new kid and started a conversation.

"So, Topher is it? Where you from?"

"California, but I'm originally from Alabama. I've lived in half the states."

"That's cool," Ryan said. "I noticed you were quite taken with Gabriella."

Topher's cheeks flushed and he turned away. "Is she your girlfriend or something? I was just curious-"

But he was cut off by Ryan laughing. "My girlfriend? No way! Gabriella and I are just friends. She doesn't date though..."

"Why not?"

"Her boyfriend disappeared about a year ago. No one's seen or heard from him since. And she hasn't had a boyfriend since him."

"Oh," Topher said getting kind of nervous around this kid. "What's your name?"

"Ryan, Ryan Evans."

"Uh huh," he said looking to the front of the room. "When is this teacher going to start teaching," he thought aloud.

"Soon," Ryan said. Topher blushed again. "He's not really the most speediest teacher in the world. What with Troy..."

Topher really didn't like this Ryan kid. He was scaring him. "So what do you do for fun," Ryan asked.

"Uh..."

"Oh come on, I like drama. Chad, Zeke and Jason love basketball."

"I hate basketball," Topher said.

"Baseball?"

"I don't do sports. I'm more of a...writer."

"Do you not like attention?" Topher shook his head agreeing with Ryan's statement. Mr. Bolton walked in and started teaching the class, but Ryan didn't pay attention. He looked at Topher.

There was something about him that made Ryan look twice. He looked like a prep with his button down shirt, but if you just looked at his face he resembled a skater with his long hair. The boy was obviously shy, but a few days with Chad would cure that. But what got him was that he hated basketball, in a school where basketball was life.

There was something fishy about Topher Harrington and Ryan was going to get to the bottom of it.

**Hope you liked it!**

**Review!**


	3. Ryan Knows

**Glad you all like this! I was happy with the reviews you all gave me.**

**And for all of those that read my series about Troy and Mack, I have decided to write a story about their childhood. It will be a bunch of one shots in chronological order. The first chapter is June 1992, and it will go on like that. It should be up soon, I just need to finish the first chapter and title the story...**

**Also, I'm working on Gabriella's Gift and Those Four Words, and toward the end of this story, I'll start to post them.**

**Besides Topher, Ryan's the main character. He may be a little OOC, but bear with me. I always picture Ryan not stupid – just no common sense.**

**Chapter 2 – Ryan Knows**

"Hey Topher!"

He groaned and stopped in his tracks. What was with this new school? At his old school, when he had been the new kid, no one wanted to talk to him and treated him like dirt until a new 'new kid' came. Here, it seemed that everyone already knew his name.

He turned around slowly to see Ryan and the blond girl who had shown him to homeroom walking up to him. Mentally, he told himself to run. The blond girl practically threw herself on him at lunch and Ryan...he was creepy.

"Hi Topher," the girl said, a smile on her face.

"Hi," he said nervously back to her. He didn't know her name, but he remembered how Chad had called her a mountain lion.

"Sharpay," she said quickly before she giggled.

Ryan rolled his eyes before pushing her slightly out of the way. "Are you going with Chad and the guys," he asked. Topher nodded and stood still, waiting to see if Ryan and Sharpay would leave. "Do you know where they are," Ryan asked, as if he already knew the answer.

"No," Topher said. "But I assume-"

"Don't assume with Chad," Ryan cut in. "He changes his mind about meeting spots everyday." He began to walk down the hall. Then he noticed that Topher wasn't following him. "Are you coming or not?"

Topher thought about it for a minute. Was this Ryan guy going, and if he was, did Topher really want to go? Ryan seemed to be everywhere; around every corner watching Topher as if waiting for him to do something.

But what was he waiting for?

"Come on Topher," Sharpay said at his side. "What's the matter?"

He shook his head and brought himself out of his thoughts. Ryan was waiting for them at the end of the hall and Sharpay was dragging him toward Ryan. 'Sharpay is strong,' Topher thought to himself as she led him down the hall. Once they had met with Ryan, the two blonds walked in front of Topher. This was his chance to leave. They were in their own little world talking about some musical and they wouldn't even notice he left.

He turned around quietly so the two wouldn't hear him and started walking away. Sighing with relief as they turned a corner without him, he began to walk normally only to collide with someone.

"I'm so sorry, I should have been watching where I was going," came a small voice from beneath him. He looked down to see the girl he was staring at during homeroom...the one Ryan had told him about during first period. As he raked his mind for her name, she looked up at him almost mesmerized.

"Troy," she whispered.

Topher looked down and furrowed his brow. "Who," he asked.

She looked into his eyes and shook his head. "You just reminded me of someone," she said quickly. "My name's Gabriella. Gabriella Montez."

"Topher, Topher Harrington. Or you can call me the new kid," he said adding a bit of humor to the situation. It was something he had never done before, but Gabriella made him feel more comfortable than he had at this new school.

She laughed. "I know what you mean. I was the new kid last year."

Topher smiled as he looked into her eyes, deep pools of brown. He heard a quiet cough and he turned his head. Chad, Jason, Zeke, Ryan, Sharpay and another girl – who was holding Chad's hand – were standing over them and Topher could feel his cheeks reddening with embarrassment. "Sorry," he muttered to Gabriella before standing up.

"You ready," Chad asked giving him a look Topher didn't comprehend. He just ignored it and walked up to Chad, who looked over to the girls. "Ladies, want to come?"

Sharpay and the girl Topher had yet to meet looked to Gabriella. "No thanks," she said looking at Topher. "I have to catch up on some homework. But I'll see you guys tomorrow."

She stood and picked up her backpack before turning her back on her friends and walking away. The other two girls followed her down the hall, leaving the boys. "So," Chad said. "Who's up for ice cream?"

Chad, Zeke and Jason started walking down the hall and for a moment, Topher just watched them. They seemed so connected. He never saw one without the other two. "They've known each other since kindergarten," Ryan said from behind him. They started to follow the three boys down the hall. "They never used to be so close. It was always Chad and Troy."

"Who is this Troy guy," Topher asked.

Ryan thought for a minute. "He was the popular, funny, sweet, athletic, nice jock, if that makes sense. His life was pretty much basketball, but he did do a musical...then he disappeared."

"Disappeared?"

"Yeah about a year ago," Ryan said. "He never came home one night. He was with Chad, Jason and Zeke, but he had a headache so he left early. As the days turned into months, we lost hope that we were going to find Troy alive."

"So he's..."

"No," Ryan said quickly. "We still haven't found him. In some ways that better, that way we don't know if he's alive or if he's dead."

Topher just nodded. The two continued their walk and before long, they had caught up to Chad, Zeke and Jason. When they got to the ice cream place, they ordered and sat under a tree to eat. "So dude," Chad said, licking vanilla ice cream off his hand. "What do you think of East High so far?"

"Uh..." Topher didn't know what to say. Did he lie and say it was the best school so far, or did he tell them what he really thought. That the school was full of weird kids, that Ryan reminded him of a stalker, that he wanted his mother to get transferred somewhere else because he didn't feel comfortable in a school where people disappear.

Ryan sensed that he was uncomfortable and remembered that Topher said that he didn't really like attention. "So Topher, how old were you when you first moved?"

"I don't know," Topher said. "I can't remember much about my childhood."

Chad, Jason and Zeke looked intrigued, but Ryan cocked his head. "Why?"

"Well, last year, we were moving to West Virginia and I didn't want to because I had just gotten used to where we were living before. So I tried to run away with my bike, but I flipped and hit my head on a rock. Woke up in the hospital a week later and couldn't remember a thing."

"So you said that was about a year ago," Ryan asked. Topher nodded his head. "Do you remember flipping over?"

"No," Topher said getting uncomfortable. "My parents told me that's what happened."

"And you don't remember anything before that?"

Topher shook his head. "Not really. A few things maybe..."

Ryan suddenly became quiet, piecing all the information together. About a year ago, Troy disappeared. About a year ago, Topher flipped his bike and lost his memory. Topher was attracted to Gabriella, just like Troy had been. The two boys looked almost identical. Then it hit him, hard like a punch.

**Ooh, cliffhanger, even though you all probably know what hit him. **

**Tell me what you think!**

**Review!**


	4. I'm Sorry

**So, thanks for the reviews. They're great! I love to hear from you, it makes me feel loved. You see a lot more of Sharpay and Chad in this chapter, hope you like!**

**Chapter 3 – I'm Sorry**

"Don't you think his story is a little suspicious?"

"Ryan," Sharpay told her twin. "Don't open up closed wounds." She shook her head and continued walking up the stairs to her room, a tear trickling down her face. She slammed the door shut before stuffing her face in her pillow. Footsteps were heard outside her door and then the creak of the door opening made her look up.

"Shar," Ryan said. "What if it is Troy?"

"It wouldn't be the same," she said regaining her composure. "It may be Troy's body, but Topher's no Troy. They have two entirely different personalities."

Ryan walked over to her bed and sat at the foot of it. "I just...I want to know who would take a kid, change his name and pretend he's not who he is."

"Sick people," Sharpay said. "But, Ry, I don't want you getting involved. If your suspicions are true, who knows what kind of past these people have."

"And that's why we can't let Troy stay with-"

"Ryan," Sharpay yelled. "Just because we didn't find a body, doesn't mean he's still alive! And if Topher really is Troy...he's not, at least not in my mind. Topher never will be the Troy we knew, so why get everyone's hopes up? Why tell them we know where Troy is, when he's not the real Troy?"

"His memory-"

"Troy is dead," Sharpay said. "And he's never coming back. I've learned to deal with it."

"But, this is a second chance to get him back." Sharpay shook her head and looked away from her brother. Ryan sighed and stood. "You know what, I should have known you wouldn't listen to me. You never listen to me."

"Ryan," she whispered as he walked out of the room.

"I want my friend back Shar," he said from the door. "And I'm going to try."

The door slammed and Ryan slid against it sighing. One the other side, Sharpay walked over to the door and touched the doorknob with her hand. She withdrew it and bit her finger before grasping it in her hand again and pulling the door open. She looked down the hall, but heard Ryan's feet on the stairs. She shook her head and walked back into her room.

On her dresser she noticed a framed picture of Troy, Ryan, Chad, Zeke and Jason right before Troy disappeared, a little while after the two siblings had become friends with the gang. She grabbed it slowly and touched Troy's smiling face. "You're dead," she whispered. She mustered up all her strength and threw the picture at the wall through her door. It hit with a sickening noise and she ran to see the shards of glass covering the hallway floor. Sharpay leaned against the door frame of her room, tears falling steadily down her face.

* * *

Chad touched Troy's picture in the 2006 East High yearbook and sighed. A knock came tearing him from his thoughts. "Chad," a voice said. "Mom said dinner's ready."

"Tell her I'm not hungry."

The younger Danforth brother nodded and walked down to report what Chad had said. Moments later, footsteps were heard and Chad threw the yearbook across the room, nearly hitting his father in the head.

"You okay," Joe asked his son.

"I forgot about him Dad," Chad said. "I'm such a lousy friend."

"Slow down there Champ," Joe asked. "Who did you forget about?"

"Troy," Chad told him fighting back tears. Joe nodded and sat on Chad's bed. "How could I forget, he was my best friend! I got too caught up in everything...I miss him."

Joe patted Chad's knee and took a deep breath. "I know, everyone does."

"It's all my fault."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is Dad! If I hadn't started that fight, he wouldn't have left. It was about that stupid musical, then he told Jason and Zeke that he had a headache, but I knew...he left because of me..." Chad shut his eyes remembering the last conversation he had with Troy.

"_What's that supposed to mean," Troy asked confused and slightly angry. "I thought you were okay with it."_

"_I am," Chad yelled. He pulled on a lock of his hair before beginning to yell at Troy once more. "But you're spending every living moment with it! And when your not practicing, you're with Gabriella doing God only knows what. You never spend anytime with us, me!"_

"_What do you think I'm doing!" Troy exploded, his face turning red from anger. "I'm spending time with you!"_

"_This is the first time in, what, a month Troy! You could at least try to make time your busy schedule for the people who were there for you long before you decided to sing!" Chad shook his head. "This is going to your head-"_

"_My head! Well I'm sorry Chad, but people change! It's my life, I can live it however I choose." Troy paused from his yelling and looked away. "You're starting to sound like my dad," he said in a calmer voice._

"_Good. At least one of us does."_

_Troy shook his head and started to walk away, not wanting to talk to Chad any longer. "Troy! Chad," Jason and Zeke yelled running over. "Troy where you going?"_

"_Guys," Troy said, trying to sound apologetic. "I got a headache. I'll see you tomorrow." He gave Chad one last death glare before running down the street away from his friends._

"_Fine, leave," Chad yelled after him. "See if I care!"_

"I care now," Chad whispered. He put his head in his hands as the tears started to flow down his face. "Troy, I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry."

**Poor Chad...**

**I know, a little short, but I thought it was a good place to stop until next time. Tell me what you think so far like you have been. **

**Review!**


	5. Just Like Kindergarten

**Okay. Thanks for the reviews, as always they were great. For those who were hoping for more Gabriella, well, this is for you!**

**Chapter 4 – Just Like Kindergarten**

"Gabriella!"

Gabriella wiped tears from her eyes and turned around to see Topher running toward her. "What's wrong," he asked as he approached.

"Nothing," she told him, grabbing the necessary books from her locker. She shut the door and turned around with a smile on her face. "Did you forget where homeroom is already?"

"Gabriella," he said, grasping her hand in his. "Is it about Troy? Ryan told me he was your boyfriend-"

"He wasn't," Gabriella cut him off. "Everyone just thought we were together."

"Oh," Topher said looking down at his feet. "But, you were thinking about him right..."

"Guilty. What did you need," she asked, trying to change the subject. "Did you forget where homeroom is?"

"Guilty," Topher said as he looked up at her. "Do you want to show me?"

She pretended that she really had to think about whether she wanted to or not before smiling. "I suppose so. But, you have to promise me something."

"What?"

"Meet me here after school," she said pointing to her locker. "I want to get to know you."

Topher blushed and smiled. "Sure."

The walk to Ms. Darbus' classroom was silent. Gabriella was deep in thought even as they walked through the door. Was she taking advantage of the fact that Topher looked like Troy? She shook the thought from her head and a girl sitting in front of her turned around in her chair. The African American girl sighed sympathetically at the look on her best friend's face. "Gabriella," she said.

"What Taylor?"

"Nothing," Taylor said reluctantly turning to face the front. She hadn't planned on Gabriella acknowledging her and didn't know what to say.

Across the room, Ryan was scribbling notes furiously on a piece of paper in his notebook. It was all about Topher. His appearance, his personality, how he did various things. The personality is what stumped him. His was so different from Troy's. Topher hated attention, where as to Troy attention was second nature. Topher was shy, Troy was outgoing. Topher hated sports, Troy loved them. Troy despised writing, but that was Topher's favorite thing to do it seemed.

Ryan tapped his foot on the ground. That didn't make sense to him. Everything else Troy did, Topher did. For example; when Troy wrote, he always capitalized his Rs, whether they needed to or not – it had always annoyed Ryan – and so did Topher. They looked almost identical, the only difference was their eyes. Troy's being bright blue while Topher's were a vibrant shade of green. A shade Ryan had never known existed.

Ryan had hit a point where he was stuck. Maybe Topher was really Topher, not Troy. Maybe his mind was playing a cruel trick on him. He needed more information. He needed help. And even if Topher was Topher, it would help Ryan sleep better at night, knowing Topher wasn't someone he wasn't.

But no matter how much evidence there was that pointed to Topher being Topher, Ryan refused to believe that Troy was dead.

* * *

"So," Gabriella said after she had led Topher to a tree near the front of the school. "Where are you from?"

"Well, originally, I'm from Alabama, but I just moved from California, Los Angeles."

"Really," she said sounding excited. "I lived in San Diego. Did you like it?"

"Yeah," Topher said. "It was great. I lived there for about nine months, that's about the longest I've ever lived somewhere."

"I know what you mean," Gabriella said. "My mom got transferred like twenty times before we came here to Albuquerque." She looked up into the sky and laid down on the grass. Topher watched her spread her arms out and sigh. "It's awful isn't it?"

Topher plopped down next to her and grinned. "Yeah." He fought back the urge to touch her cheek, which seemed so perfect, just like the rest of her. Topher had never felt that way about a girl before.

Except one.

"So," Gabriella said rolling over to face him. "Did you have a girlfriend or any friends back in California?"

"A few good friends, but I stayed away from girlfriends. They just made it-"

"That much harder to move when the time came," Gabriella finished for him. "I've never had someone understand before," she said when he looked surprised she had finished his sentence. "Most kids here have lived here or around here their entire life. At least at East High, I don't know about the other high schools."

"So, what was your childhood like? Mine was awful! Always moving, growing up I had very little friends," she said.

Topher avoided her gaze. "I can't remember. Last year, I tried to run away and I flipped over. Lost my memory."

"That's horrible. Can you remember anything?"

"Bits and pieces. But I can remember one thing," he confessed. "It's of me and my dad. He was teaching me how to play basketball. 'Shoot it up Buddy' he'd say. Mom said he died a few days after that. I've always associated that with being why I hate sports. She never told me how he died though. I've just always called my step dad my dad."

"My parents separated when I was really little. We haven't heard from him since. You're lucky you have that memory."

"But you probably have home videos. Mom left ours at one of our old houses once and never tried to get them back."

"So you have no idea what he looks like," Gabriella said.

Topher shook his head. "I know. It's a little blurry, but I still remember. He's got dark hair and light skin...actually, he looks kind of like one of my teachers here," Topher told her.

"Which one?"

"I can't remember his name," Topher said, looking through his mind for a name. "It's a class I have with Ryan. I don't know...I'll tell you tomorrow."

Gabriella nodded. "Do you remember anything else?"

"What's with you and my childhood," Topher asked, chuckling a bit. "It's not that interesting."

"But it is," Gabriella said. "If you ever need to talk to someone, like if you start to get your memory back, you can come to me. I'll be willing to listen."

Topher's smile faded. "There is...one more thing." Gabriella gave him a look that clearly said 'go on.' "I keep having this dream. It's about this girl and she's singing a song with a guy, but she's nervous and the guy said something about kindergarten."

Gabriella gasped. _"Just like kindergarten," Troy said looking at her before signaling to Kelsi to start playing. _The intro music to 'Breaking Free' flowed through Gabriella.

"Just like kindergarten," she whispered.

"That's it," Topher yelled. "How did you know?"

"I've got to go," she said before running away, leaving Topher slightly confused. Her breathing became rapid as she ran across the grass. Suddenly she slammed into a familiar figure.

"Chad he remembers kindergarten!"

**Oh ho ho! So...what do you think of that? Just like kindergarten...hmm, how would he know about that?**

**Tell me what you think!**

**Review!**


	6. Suddenly it all Makes Sense

**Thanks for the reviews, but I won't keep you waiting with my jibber-jabber...**

**Chapter 5 – Suddenly it all Makes Sense**

"What?" Chad asked as she clung on to him as if he was her lifeline. "Who is he and why would he not remember kindergarten?"

"No," Gabriella said, tears falling down her cheeks. "Just like kindergarten, that's what me and Troy used to say."

Chad looked at her confused. "What does Troy have to do with this?"

"Topher keeps having this dream of a girl and boy. It's pitch black and the girl seems nervous so the boy says 'like kindergarten.'" She took a deep breath. "That's what Troy said to me at the callbacks."

Chad's eyes narrowed. "How would Topher know that?"

"I don't know," she choked out, the tears making it hard for her to talk, "and it's scaring me."

Gabriella buried her head into Chad's chest and sobs over took her. He wrapped his arms around her and looked up to the sky. There was definitely something about that Topher kid that he didn't trust. And now, he would never tell Gabriella this, but he was scared of Topher as well.

"What's wrong," came a voice from behind him. Chad turned to see Taylor and sighed with relief before passing Gabriella to his girlfriend.

"Take her home, take her to your house. Just take her somewhere far away from here, where Topher can't find her."

"Why what happened?"

"There is something seriously wrong with that kid," Chad said. "Just take her and hurry."

Taylor nodded and led Gabriella away. Chad watched them get into Taylor's car before he looked around the campus and running to the first person he saw. "Hey Chad," Ryan said.

"Find Jason, I'm calling Zeke and meet me in the gym in five minutes," he ordered.

"Why?"

"Just do it," Chad yelled before pulling out his cellphone and dialing a familiar number. "Zeke, go to the gym. I'm holding a meeting."

Five minutes later, the four friends were assembled in the gym and seated in the bleachers. "So Chad," Jason said. "What did you want us here for?"

"It's really important guys. That new kid Topher...there is something seriously wrong about him."

"What do you mean," Zeke asked curiously.

"What I mean, is that he has a dream about the callbacks Gabriella and Troy did. He remembers what Troy said to Gabriella to make her not feel nervous."

Jason's eyes widened. "Do you think he might know where Troy is?"

Chad shrugged. "Guys," Ryan said. "Don't you find his story a little suspicious?" The other three raised an eyebrow at him. "Troy disappeared a year ago, he lost his memory a year ago. He looks like Troy, sounds like Troy-"

"But his attitude is different from Troy's," Chad said.

"Let him finish Chad," Zeke said.

"True, their personalities are different, but what other explanation do you have for him remembering Troy's life?"

"Wait," Jason said giving Ryan a look. "What are you saying? Topher's Troy?" Ryan nodded. "How do you explain that he didn't remember any of us?"

"He was brainwashed," Chad said. "But who would want to take Troy?"

Zeke and Jason shrugged. "Why do kidnappers take other kids? Maybe these people are connected to Troy somehow or maybe they just saw him and took him," Ryan said.

"What do you suggest we do," Chad asked.

Ryan thought for a moment. "We ask him if he remembers anything at all from his past. If he really is Troy, we'll know."

* * *

"Hey Topher!" 

Chad, Zeke and Jason walked into homeroom to see Topher already there. He looked up and nodded to them before looking back down at his paper and scribbling words down.

"What are you writing," Chad asked innocently.

"Just stuff."

The three boys nodded and watched him continue to slave over his notebook. Chad nodded to Zeke who nodded back before taking a drink out of his bag. "Hey dude, give me some," Jason said, showing off his horrible acting skills. Zeke and Jason them fake wrestled over the drink, which – as planned – spilled on Topher and his papers.

"Sorry dude," Jason said.

"Anything we can do?"

"I have an idea," Chad exclaimed. "You want to go play basketball with us after school."

Topher, who was still in shock of the incident, shook his head. "I don't like basketball."

"Really," Chad said. "Why not?"

"I don't know."

"Oh you must know," Zeke said. "If you don't know why you hate it, then how do you know you hate it?"

Topher took a deep breath. "I...my dad taught me how to play and then he died. That's why," he said, annoyance filling his voice.

"Do you remember him at all," Jason asked innocently, just as Chad had before when he asked what he was writing.

"Yeah," Topher said, not really wanted to go into detail.

Chad gave him a pressing look. "Well, what does – did – he look like."

The door to the classroom opened and Mr. Bolton entered with some papers for Ms. Darbus. She took them from him and asked him a question which the boys couldn't hear. "Like that," Topher said. Before grabbing another notebook from his backpack and starting to write.

"I'll be right back," Chad whispered to Zeke and Jason, who were wide eyed. "Keep an eye on him."

The two nodded and Chad strode across the room. He bent down, leaning on Ryan's desk. "So," Ryan asked. "What did you learn?"

"That his dead father looks like Coach Bolton."

Ryan nodded and wrote it down on the list. "That's all the information I need."

"Really? Then how do you explain his eyes," Chad asked. "They're green if you haven't noticed."

"I bumped into him earlier this morning. His eyes were blue and I asked him what happened to his eyes. He cursed and then went to his locker and got contacts. Then, his eyes were green." Ryan shut the notebook his list was in and looked up at Chad. "Suddenly, it all makes sense."

"So, Topher's a fake," Chad said, stating the obvious.

"Yeah. But, why," Ryan said quietly.

**So...tell me what you think so far!**

**Review!**


	7. Bittersweet Memories

**So happy everyone is enjoying this. And for the people reading my other stories. I am continuing the one shots, just not as often as my other stories (and for Oliverwoodschic, I'll do a Tip story sometime in the future.)**

**Chapter 6 – Bittersweet Memories**

"Ryan, this is stupid," Topher heard as he walked out of the school. Curious, he hid behind a set of lockers to hear the rest of the conversation Chad and Ryan were having. "What do we tell him, we have reason to believe that you are our friend Troy, who went missing a year ago and your 'parents' brainwashed you into thinking you were Topher Harrington."

"I don't think that will go over well," Ryan said. "We have to put it on him easy."

"Okay. How about, Topher the reason you don't remember your childhood is because your 'parents' brainwashed you. Oh yeah, your a big basketball star and your name is Troy!"

"Chad, get serious."

Topher's breathing became rapid. Troy? He couldn't be. He was Christopher Harrington, son of Liz and Jackson Harrington...but, what was his real name, he didn't know. His mother told him that she changed his name when she married Jackson. What was his real father's name?

Then it hit him. He had no home videos. He had no memories. He had nothing.

He stood and ran down the hall, pushing Jason and Zeke away who were walking toward him, asking him if he was okay. By the time he stopped he was in a deserted hallway. He looked at the wall across from him and shut his eyes sick to his stomach. There was a picture of Chad, Jason, Zeke and another kid all doing poses for basketball and in the middle was him, holding a basketball.

No, that wasn't him. That was Troy.

"_So, this is your real stage," Gabriella asked walking on to the basketball court. He turned around and smiled._

"_Yeah...or just a smelly gym."_

Topher gasped. What was that? He knew that was Gabriella and...him. But, that had never happened to him. He hadn't known Gabriella until he moved to Albuquerque.

"_I can't do this Troy," Gabriella said. "Not with everyone staring at me..."_

"_Hey, hey, hey. Look at me – right at me. Like the first time we sang together, remember. Like kindergarten."_

Topher's eyes widened. Gabriella had been talking to him, it was his memory, but she called him Troy. He leaned his head back against the lockers and shut his eyes. "I am Topher," he whispered. "I am Topher Harrington. I am not Troy. I am not Troy-"

"_Oh, Jackson! Look, he's waking up!"_

"_Huh," he said looking around. This was all unfamiliar to him. "Where am I?"_

"_Sweetheart, do you know who you are," came a southern voice. Liz._

"_Troy Bolton," he answered._

"_No sweetie, you must have hit your head hard. You're Topher sweets. Topher Harrington."_

Topher shook his head violently, tears streaming down his face. "No, no, no," he yelled. "It's just my mind playing tricks on me," he whispered to himself. He brought his knees to his chest and rocked back and forth. "No, I'm not Troy. I'm not Troy. I'm not Troy Bolton."

"_What spell has this elevated IQ temptress girl cast that makes you want to audition for a musical," Chad asked._

"_Look, I just did," he answered. "Who cares?"_

"_Who cares? How about your most loyal best friend?"_

"Why won't you get out of my head," he yelled. "These aren't my memories. I'm not Troy!" He took out his contacts and threw them at the large poster of himself...no Troy. Then he laid down on the ground, unaware of who he was and fell asleep.

* * *

Topher woke up to the sun shining through a large window. He rubbed his eyes and walked over to it, seeing a backyard with a basketball court in it. "Who would have a basketball court in their backyard," he whispered. He looked back to where he had been sleeping. There was a bed with a red and white comforter on it and many awards scattered around the room. Even though it seemed familiar, Topher didn't know where he knew it from.

He walked over behind the bed and grabbed onto a tiny, doll-sized doorknob which opened a small door in the wall. He stuck his hand in and pulled out a simple marble.

"_This marble's going somewhere no one will ever find it."_

"_Are you sure," a kid around age eleven said. He looked a lot like a younger Chad._

"_Yeah! I made it myself."_

"_Didn't your dad get mad," another kid said. This kid looked around the same age as Chad, but looked like Jason._

"_No, he doesn't know. And what he doesn't know, wont kill him."_

"_But Troy-"_

"_No. I made the hole and he didn't find out. How's he going to find out if I never open it again."_

"_Rebel," the young Chad said._

"_You know it!"_

Topher didn't remember the memory very long. The minute the young Troy said 'you know it' the memory was gone and he was left holding the marble. Sticking it in his pocket he left the room and walked down the stairs. In the kitchen, Kathleen Bolton was making breakfast for the boy Jack had found the night before. When she heard footsteps she turned around and almost dropped the plate she was holding.

Jack had said he was one of his students, a new kid named Topher, but he looked too much like Troy for Kathleen. She turned around and looked out the window. Topher was Kathleen's sign that Troy was fine, her baby boy was alright. "You hungry," she asked.

"I hope you don't mind feeding a stranger," he asked nodding his head.

"I don't mind," she said as she handed him a plate full of food. She turned around and put a hand over her heart. "Troy come back," she whispered so Topher couldn't hear.

**Mother's instinct? Hmm...Topher's starting to get his memory back...is this good or bad?**

**Tell me what you think!**

**Review!**


	8. Can't Lie Anymore

**Well, sorry about the delay. My brother had the computer today, and my sister has it tomorrow. I'll try my best to update tomorrow, but I can't promise anything. I'll definitely post on Monday if not before that.**

**Chapter 7 – Can't Lie Anymore**

Chad, Zeke, Jason and Ryan ran up to Topher as he walked in with a late pass that he handed to the study hall teacher. "Save it," he said as Ryan opened his mouth to say something. "I know what you're going to tell me and to let you know, I'm getting my memory back."

"What do you remember," Jason asked. The four boys were starting to look hopeful and Topher knew he couldn't tell them the truth.

"I remember...living in Boston with my parents," he lied before walking away toward an empty table.

"That was a lie if I ever heard one," Ryan said shaking his head. The other three looked at him with confused and questioning looks.

"How do you know," Zeke asked.

Ryan smiled and looked to Zeke. "They call me the Drama King for a reason." The four exchanged looks before walking to Topher at the empty table.

"What do you want," Topher sneered as he looked up at them.

Ryan leaned on the table and looked Topher right in the eyes. "We're just trying to help you," he said. "You don't know who you are-"

"I know who I am!" Topher exploded. "Just because you haven't found your friend's body, doesn't mean I'm him."

Chad sat down in the chair beside Topher and looked at him in disbelief. "You never spend anytime with us, me," he whispered.

Topher's eyes widened. _"What's that supposed to mean," Troy asked confused and slightly angry. "I thought you were okay with it."_

"_I am," Chad yelled. He pulled on a lock of his hair before beginning to yell at Troy once more. "But you're spending every living moment with it! And when your not practicing, you're with Gabriella doing God only knows what. You never spend anytime with us, me!"_

He shook himself out of the memory and glared at the four boys. Breathing through clenched teeth, he stood up and pushed the chair in with such force it made a loud bang. Every eye in the room was now on the group as Topher stomped towards the door. Suddenly he stopped and collapsed on the ground tears streaming down his tanned cheeks. He pulled his knees to his chest and turned toward the group.

"What do you think I'm doing," he yelled to Chad. "I'm spending time with you!"

Chad smiled and walked over to Topher. Ryan, Jason, Zeke and the rest of the room looked confused at their behavior. Chad knelt beside his friend and put a hand on his shoulder. "Fine, leave. See if I care," Chad said quietly. "I cared."

Topher rubbed the tears from his eyes and smiled. "Me too."

Chad pulled his friend into a hug, laughing so hard tears were falling from his face. "You're back."

"Not fully," Topher told him. "But I'm close."

"How much do you remember?"

"Not much," Topher told him. "I may never remember it all...but I'll try. I can't lie to myself anymore I guess. I am Troy."

Chad pulled away a grin plastered across his face, then he thought of something and frowned. "Do you accept my apology?"

Topher nodded his head, "if you accept mine. I was a real jerk, as both Troy and Topher. So," he held out his hand, "do you?"

The smile returned to Chad's face as he shook Topher's hand, suddenly the two started to do a handshake neither of them had done since entering high school. Across the room, Jason's eyes widened. "That's...that's...Zeke! Look! They're doing the handshake, he really is Troy!"

"I remember that," Topher told Chad.

"Of course you do Toph, how could you forget that?"

"Troy, Chad call me Troy."

Chad nodded and walked over to the other three, leaving Troy in the middle of the floor. He looked around the room in search of Gabriella, he needed to tell her. Even if she couldn't remember the relationship they had – or were going to have – he knew she still had feelings for him...Troy...

Spotting her in the corner of the room with Taylor, Kelsi and Sharpay, Troy narrowed his eyes. All four of them were doing homework or reading, but they were listening to music on their iPod and MP3 player. 'That isn't like Gabriella,' Troy thought. 'The Gabriella I knew focused completely on her homework when she did it. But this new Gabriella is always listening to music, or from what I've seen.'

He walked over and slid his hands over her eyes. "Guess who," he whispered in her ear. She tensed and turned around.

"Topher, I'm not in the mood. Please, just leave me alone."

"For once Gabriella Montez is wrong."

She sighed angrily and slammed her book shut. "I said I wasn't in the mood."

"But you guessed wrong," Troy said. Then he smiled and turned around. Slowly he slid his contacts out to reveal his bright blue eyes before turning and sitting on the very edge of her chair. "Guess again," he said looking her directly in her eyes.

She gasped. "Troy?"

He nodded and she squealed before hugging him, therefore putting all their weight on the very edge of the chair, resulting in the two falling to the floor. "How do I really know it's you," she asked. Troy looked up at Gabriella and smirked before leaning up and kissing her cheek, the way he had at the call backs. She smiled in response.

**So...I'll try to post tomorrow, but I don't know if I can. Sorry in advance if I'm unable, although I'll try to get on to post later in the afternoon.**

**Sorry it's short, I just needed to get it up.**

**Tell me what you think!  
**

**Review!**


	9. They're on to Me

**Okay, this is a short chapter, but it shows you Liz and Jackson, so I hope you like it.**

**Chapter 8 – They're on to Me**

"Topher!"

Troy stopped mid step and looked to Chad for advice. His friend bit his lip and shrugged. Troy shut his eyes for a moment before turning around and facing the voice. Liz Harrington was waving to him out the window of her blue SUV. Troy winced, "wish me luck," he whispered as he moved toward the truck.

"How was school sweets," came her southern voice as he slid into the front seat.

"Great," Troy told her simply. He had stayed after for a while to talk to Chad and the guys. Together they had tried to figure out what to do about Troy's 'parental' issues, seems as he was living with kidnappers.

Liz frowned. "What's wrong sweetheart? Are you feeling okay?"

Troy nodded, while secretly he felt horrible. He had been living a lie for part of his life, yet, he could only remember bits and pieces of the life he had before.

"Well Dad made your favorite," Liz told him.

"_Dad, I don't think you're suppose to do that," an eight year old Troy told Jack. Jack just shook him off and started to mix the two mixtures together. Troy frowned. Mom was the cook, but she had gone on a vacation._

"_Eat up," Jack said as he poured the mixture into Troy's bowl. Troy winced as he swirled his spoon in the bluish liquid. The two looked up at each other. "Take out?"_

"_I'll get the menus," Troy said jumping out of his seat and running in the other room._

"Toph?"

Shaking himself out of the memory, Troy turned to look at Liz, she looked concerned. "Are you sure you're okay?" He nodded before looking out the window. "Where were you last night?"

"Uh, Chad's house," Troy lied.

"New friend," Liz asked looking excited. Troy nodded. "I told you you'd make friends," she told him as they pulled up into their driveway. "Now go wash up."

He walked silently to the bathroom and washed his hands. Sighing, he looked at himself in the mirror. "Why me," he asked shaking his head.

"Topher!"

"Coming," he yelled back halfheartedly.

For the most part, dinner was silent and except for the occasional 'pass the salt', no one said a word. Once Troy had finished his food, he took a deep breath. "Do you guys have any pictures of me when I was younger," he asked quickly. Liz and Jackson looked at each other.

"Remember Toph, I told you we left them in Connecticut," Liz said.

"But, I mean, you don't have any in your wallets or anything." Troy knew most parents had their kids pictures in their wallets or purses.

"No Toph," Liz said. "I took them out when you crashed your bike."

"Why?" Troy didn't get that. If his kid crashed his bike, he'd keep the picture in his wallet so he could look at it. Were they ashamed or something? 'Ashamed of something that didn't happen,' Troy thought.

"We didn't know if you'd wake up and just looking at the pictures hurt," Jackson said.

Troy looked down. They didn't seem like the type of people who would kidnap anyone. They had reasons for everything. "Do you know anyone named Bolton," he asked quietly, not knowing what their reaction would be.

Liz's eyes widened for a split second before she looked down at her plate. "How did you hear that name," Jackson hissed giving Troy a cold look.

"It's my teacher's name," Troy said, trying to save himself. Then he decided to add onto his story. "He said he knew someone with the last name Harrington."

"Why don't you go upstairs Topher," Liz said sweetly. "Dad and I'll clean up."

Troy nodded and walked over to the stairs. Once he was out of sight he searched around for a place where he could listen in and hear their conversation. Liz looked at the stairs briefly. "Jackson," she whispered hurriedly. "I knew coming here wasn't a good idea! He's on to something!"

Jackson nodded. "How? How did he manage to get caught."

"I don't know," Liz said sarcastically. "His teacher is Jack, he has to be. Oh, how could we be so stupid!"

"But, Jack didn't tell him anything. He doesn't know the name Harrington." Jackson sighed. "He found something out himself."

Troy groaned and walked up the stairs to his room. Something caught his eye as he walked over to his bed. A red and white yearbook. Troy's eyes narrowed as he picked it up and flipped through it, scanning the pages. He knew it was familiar and his eyes widened. His father had the same one, that's why he'd seen it before. He quickly searched for his father's name and found it – Jack Bolton.

But next to him was the sneering face of Jackson Harrington, only, the name wasn't the same. He was Jackson Boswin.

Troy frowned and scanned the pages for Liz. He also found her under a different name. Elizabeth Coleman. Each of them held cold looks and neither smiled.

"How did I get myself into this," Troy asked himself as he walked to his bed and slammed his face down in the pillow. "Better question is: how do I get myself out?"

He rolled over and looked at the alarm clock. 7:05pm, it read. He wasn't tired, so he decided to do some snooping around his room trying to find clues. There was nothing, literally. He had nothing from his early years, nothing from before a year ago. No prizes, no awards, no pictures, no home movies.

"No past," Troy whispered. He pulled out his cell phone and sent a text message to Chad.

_I have no past._

Then he sent one to Ryan.

_They're on to me. Liz and Jackson, they know._

**Uh oh. Jackson did seem pleased. **

**Tell me what you think!  
**

**Review!**


	10. Losing You One More Time

**Okay, sorry about the wait, but my mother banned me from the computer until my summer reading assignment was finished. Ugh! It took me all day, and then I had to clean my room. Well, I hope you like this chapter, because I woke up early to post it.**

**Chapter 9 – Losing You One More Time**

Troy walked down the stairs to see a bunch of boxes filling the living room. "Huh," he said. "What's going on."

"Oh Toph," Liz said coming from the kitchen. "The company transferred me again. Hun, we're going to Kansas."

"Kansas," Troy asked in shock. "Now? But I..."

"Topher I'm sorry," Liz said. "Can you go get your stuff together?"

Troy turned around and ran up the stairs. He pulled out his cellphone and dialed Chad's number. "Dude, you know it's early? I'll see you at school."

"No you wont," Troy said, shutting his door. "They're moving. Taking me to Kansas!"

There was silence on the other end for a moment. "I'll talk to my dad, remember, he's a cop."

Troy was about to answer when the door slammed open, revealing Jackson. "Boy, what are you doing," he yelled walking closer to Troy. He placed his phone – still on – on the bedside table before backing up. Suddenly he hit the wall and he knew he just put himself into a trap. "I'm on to you," Jackson said. "You're not going to rat us out to your little friends."

Troy gulped and winced as Jackson pinned him against the wall so he couldn't move. "You're going to wish you were never born."

Suddenly Chad could hear moaning on the other end and loud bangs. He didn't speak a word until he heard the door slam shut. "Troy," he said, loud enough so Troy could hear it if he was on the ground. But Troy had drifted into blackness. Chad started to get worried when Troy didn't answer him.

He turned off his phone and then ran down the stairs where his family was eating breakfast. "Dad!" He yelled. "Dad! Troy!"

"Chad, calm down," Joe said standing up. "What's wrong."

"Troy was kidnapped. That's why he was missing! His kidnappers are taking him to Kansas, we have to do something. They're hurting him."

"Chad are you sure it's Troy," his mother asked.

"Yes! He remembers things no one but Troy would remember." He turned to his father. "Dad, we have to do something, and hurry. This may be our only chance!"

"Chad, get your stuff and meet me in the car," Joe said. "I'm calling Jack."

"Jackson!" Liz yelled as he carried Troy's limp body out to the car. "I can't believe you did that!"

"It was the only way we were going to get him out here," Jackson yelled back. "Now get in the front, I'll stay in the back with this monster."

Liz looked sympathetically at Troy before sitting in the front and buckling up. Jackson laid Troy in the back seat and slid in next to him. "Drive," he instructed her. She nodded when the sound of sirens filled the air. "Fast," he added.

The car accelerated and they drove at a speed well over the speed limit as they got on the interstate. The cop car was on their tail the entire time. "Ugh," Liz said. "They wont stop following us!"

"We'll ditch the kid," Jackson said. "If we do that, they'll stop following us."

"But if we stop, then they'll get us," Liz said. "I'm not getting caught."

"That's why we're not stopping. We're just pushing him out."

Liz's eyes widened. "But...he'll get hurt! Jackson, we can't!"

"Do you want to get caught or not?"

Liz sighed and drove close as close to the side of the road as she could without going over the road and down into the ditch. Jackson opened the car door and pushed Troy out the side. Troy tumbled down the grass, landing in the bottom of the ditch. Liz's eyes flooded with tears, he had become a son to her and she hated seeing him...tumble.

"Liz!"

Her eyes jerked open to see the car hit the cement of a bridge.

Joe pulled the police car over to the side of the road and before it even stopped, Jack had the door open, jumping out toward his son. He knew there was something familiar about Topher, something that reminded him of Troy the moment he laid eyes on him. But he realized it was his son when he found the boy asleep in the hall way by the picture of the basketball team on the wall at East High.

Troy was laying on his side in the ditch when Jack approached him. Jack rolled him over carefully on to his back so he could check to see if he was breathing and see if his heart was beating. He sighed with relief as he felt a weak pulse. "Come on Troy," he whispered. "Hang in there Bud."

"Jack!" Joe yelled, running down the hill and into the ditch. "Paramedics are on their way."

Jack looked down into Troy's face. His eye was bruised and his lip cracked. Scratches were covering his face and neck from rolling down the hill. He held Troy's head in his hands, the sound of sirens filling the air.

"Troy, I can't lose you again."

**So, what do you think?**

**Sorry it's kind of short.**

**Tell me, I love to hear!**

**Review!**


	11. Before It's Too Late Again

**Hello! This has been a very good run, but I have to inform you that this is the last chapter. Tear, tear. Anyway, if you have any questions, I'll answer them in the last chapter in this story. It will be labeled: A/N, so look out for that. If I get way too many questions, I might make another chapter, that's only if theres like...many questions...hundreds.**

**Chapter 10 – Before It's Too Late...Again**

Jack sat on the couch in Troy's room, tears falling steadily down his face as the nurse made the bed and fixed everything up for the next patient to occupy the room. She sighed, shaking her head at the man, offering a look of sympathy. She didn't know what happened in this room, all she knew was she had to make the bed.

When she walked out, Jack looked out the window at the sky, which was a bright blue color. This reminded him of Troy, his eyes. He smiled and laughed a little until he noticed a figure in the doorway.

"Dad, ready to go. Mom's got the car," Troy said. Noticing his father's state, he rolled his eyes. "People are going to think someone died in here if you don't stop with the waterworks!"

"I'm just happy," Jack said standing up. "It's been a year since I've taken you home, the real you, not Topher."

Troy smiled. "I still don't remember-"

"And you know what," Jack told him. "I don't care. You can remember as little or as much as you can and we'll all love you more than you ever could dream."

Troy put a hand over his heart. "Touching," he said, making fun of his father.

"Hey! Watch it," Jack said.

"Mom's not even as bad as you. She hasn't shed a tear."

"That's because she wasted them all a year ago." Jack shut his eyes and shook his head. "I can't believe they took you. They hated me, they hated everyone, but me in particular in high school."

"Why?" Troy asked.

Jack patted the seat on the couch next to him and Troy sat down. "You see Troy, Jackson's my step cousin. We were both really popular in middle school and freshman year, then Jackson made a really stupid decision in sophomore year."

"What did he do?"

"Turned to drugs, go in with the wrong group of friends. Then he got disowned. He hated that I stayed the goody two shoes and didn't crack under pressure like he did. He and Liz, they made a good group. They tortured people, never once have I seen him smile since he met her."

Troy nodded. "But why did he take me?"

"I don't know," Jack said. "He's a sick person. Both of them are. Maybe he wanted to take you to get to me. I really don't know. But enough about this," he told Troy, changing the subject. "Let's get you out of here."

"Yeah," Troy said, watching Jack walk out the door. "Let's get out of here."

The last police car had just pulled away when a man poked his head through the leaves behind the bridge. He growled much like a dog before examining his injuries. They weren't bad, he was lucky, only a few cuts and scrapes. Liz hadn't been so lucky.

He walked to the edge of the road and stuck his thumb out. Before long, a man pulled over. "Where you headed?"

"Away from here," Jackson said as the man drove down the road. "As far as you'll take me."

"So Troy, now that there's no psychopaths out to get you, what are you going to do," Zeke asked. Troy, Zeke, Jason, Chad, Ryan, Taylor, Sharpay and Gabriella were sitting outside the school on the lawn. It was about a month before the end of school and they were just sitting there, having fun.

Troy thought for a minute before putting his hands behind his head and sighing dramatically. "Nothing," he said. "Absolutely nothing." He paused before smiling, just thinking of something. "And then I think I'll play some basketball."

The group laughed at his answer and Chad gave him a high five. "Ugh," Sharpay said playfully. "Is that all you boys think about?"

"No," Chad said. "I think about food and Taylor and bask-soon," he said quickly covering that he was about to say basketball. "Bassoons, and Taylor."

"And I bake," Zeke said excitedly.

"Creme brulee," Jason, Chad and Troy said in unison before erupting in a fit of laughter.

"Are you making fun of me," Zeke asked, trying to sound offended, but it wasn't working.

"No," Jason said, still laughing. "We love that you bake."

"Let's have a sleep over," Sharpay shouted to the girls.

Chad and Troy's mouths opened to form a "O" shape. "Do we get to have manicures," Chad asked as if he was a girl who was overexcited.

"I want pink!" Troy yelled in the same manner.

Gabriella, Taylor and Sharpay laughed. "Troy, I don't think pink's your color," Gabriella said. "But I'll paint your nails blue," she joked.

Troy and Chad looked over in horror that the girls thought they wanted their nails done and immediately started making plans for that night. "So party at my house," Chad yelled getting up from his seat on the grass. "Guys only!"

Ryan, Zeke and Jason chased after Chad who was running toward his house. The girls giggled and stood, Taylor and Sharpay walking in the opposite direction, leaving Troy and Gabriella.

"So," Troy said.

"So," Gabriella copied.

"In the hospital, there's something that I realized that I needed to tell you before it's too late...again." Troy took a deep breath, but words wouldn't form.

"Troy," she said. "What is it?"

Troy leaned down and kissed her briefly on the lips. "So, what do you say to that?"

"I say, I liked it," she told him honestly.

"Troy!" Chad called. "Hurry up man!"

Troy groaned and Gabriella giggled. "I got to go," he told her regretfully. "But you want to do something this weekend?"

She smiled. "Can I paint your nails?"

Troy broke out in laughter before he nodded his head. "If you really want to."

Gabriella raised an eyebrow before running to Sharpay and Taylor. Troy watched her retreating back and smiled. Liz and Jackson were gone and his life was back to normal. "Hey Disappearing Boy! We're going to leave without you!"

"Hold your horses Chad," Troy yelled, turning toward his friend. "I'll be there when I get there."

**So, how'd you like it? Tell me what you think! I say goodbye until the A/N.**

**Review!**


	12. AN

Glad to know that no one had questions about the plot. About Jackson getting away, that's so that in the future if I can make a sequel if I'm out of ideas for more stories.

_Now, Oliverwoodschic_

_1. I think that I'm putting Those Four Words up first because I have more written. Hopefully it will be up really soon, like by the end of the week at the latest._

_2. I am making the Tip story and I take it you want it to be full length. So, that should be up soon too. Also, thanks for the compliments._

So, for all of you readers, I must say, I loved the reviews you've given me. Now, I should be posting again soon.

Until then, Dracoisalooker76


End file.
